Groceries

Most Beijing expats shop at Jenny Lou's, an 8-store chain with outlets at major expatriate clusters in Beijing. The Henan husband and wife team have come a long way since their fruit and vegetable stall on Sanlitun. Good service (all staff are from their village) and a well-stocked selection of western groceries have been their success formula. Stocking varies depending on clientele. For example, Chaoyang Park and Shunyi stores have wide ranges of imported Western food while the Ritan outlet stocks Russian specialties. Meat-lovers get their cuts at Schindlers, a butcher started by ex staff from the East German embassy. They've since opened two German restaurants where the menu is traditional carnivorous fare.

Organic vegetables can be bought in the China World basement supermarket and at Shunyi's Pinnacle Plaza. Jenny Lou's at Chaoyang Park and Shunyi stock organic milk. They also stock some packaged organic foods. The basement supermarket at The Place stocks organic teething rusks and baby food. For baby supplies, get hold of the print catalogue and order by phone (perhaps with your Ayi's help) for next-day delivery and payment. They carry a wide range of Avent products including breast pumps and milk-storage boxes. Pampers' and Johnsons' wipes sell at less than most supermarkets. Incidentally, Leyou also carry a decent range of Fisher Price and Lego Duplo products.

Apartment towers lining the edge of the city's largest park house many of Beijing's expatriates. They are well served by the cafes and restaurants clustered around Chaoyang Park's West gate. To the north there's the Lufthansa Centre and surrounding office towers. The German school is here, as is the new US embassy. The area includes Lady's Street, a flower market and bazaar.

One of the older expatriate neighbourhoods with the Holiday Inn Lido at its epicentre. A leafy area with good expatriate amenities. 798, a 50s era factory turned creative hub is here. To the northeast, there's Wangjing, a large mid-tier residential neighbourhood. Some larger corporations are building dedicated office complexes here.

The busy central business district contains a high concentration of office towers with China World at it's centre. Ritan Park and the surrounding leafy embassies afford a small green lung. Preferred by those wanting easy access to amenities and a quick commute to work.

Beijing's geographic and administrative centre containing Tiananmen, the Forbidden City and Houhai. Populated by government employees and tourists, few expatriates choose to live here due to a lack of quality homes and a dearth of amenities. The area includes Financial Street, to the West of Tiananmen, a commercial area that has attracted a number of financial institutions.

Although home to the city's top universities, this is not Cambridge. Promoted as a tech development zone, it isn't Palo Alto either. There is a vibrant student scene, but expatriates working here choose to commute from the eastern side of the city.

A large cluster of leafy embassies here, but the neighbourhood is most renowned for its bars, cafes and restaurants. The Bookworm, a literary cafe, and small independent boutiques add a bohemian flavour. The Workers Stadium and French School are also here. To the north there's Dongzhimen, a transport hub that includes the airport line.

Expatriate suburbia, minutes from the airport and less than an hour's commute to the CBD. The major international schools are here. A wide range of expatriate amenities have sprung up around the villa communities. This quieter and greener area is a family friendly biosphere.

Office and apartment developments have extended north along the 3rd Ring into Sanyuan Qiao. Few amenities here, but it's a short hop to Sanlitun and Chaoyang Park. The subway and airport line allow easy access to most parts of the city.

Home to the Olympic Stadium and its surrounding facilities. The vast park area is a boon for the neighbourhood but with no quality homes, few expatriates choose to live here.

Once the wrong side of the railway tracks, the south is still underdeveloped. Low property prices mean favourable rents for bargain hunters. No amenities, but some apartments are close to the CBD.

Just outside the East 4th Ring, the area was once an industrial hinterland. Some mid to low-end residential developments here. A short commute to the CBD, but few expatriate amenities in the area.